Retail sales have grown strongly in Ireland in recent years but had been slightly subdued for much of 2017 due to a fall in new car sales as a result of some motorists preferring to import cars from Britain due to the sharp fall in the value of sterling against the euro.

Excluding car sales, the index was 7.6 percent higher year-on-year. While Irish retailers reported their busiest ever Black Friday period, industry body Retail Excellence Ireland said that came at the expense of Christmas which it expected to be on a par with last year. (Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)